


I Love You, I Love You, I Love.

by Bakingblues



Series: Witch verse [3]
Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Dele is a cat, M/M, lol what can I say
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24359599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bakingblues/pseuds/Bakingblues
Summary: The cat glared and then turned to stalk off in a way that unnerved Eric. Eric turned back into the kitchen, magicked away the rest of the melted cornettos, and sat at the stool on the kitchen counter. WherewasDele?
Relationships: Dele Alli/Eric Dier
Series: Witch verse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1758748
Comments: 12
Kudos: 40





	I Love You, I Love You, I Love.

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in a world with no pandemic, but also in a world where the football season is on hold. If you've made it this far you're willing to read a fic where Dele Alli is a cat, so I have faith in your ability to suspend belief. 
> 
> This is for Ella, Camden, Rach and Meg who I wouldn't be surviving lockdown without. Thank you for being in my universe, thank you for your every day magic, I love you all so very much.

Eric let himself back into the house with a shopping bag containing a loaf of brown bread, a pint of semi skimmed milk, a jar of pesto and a packet of Tesco own brand cornettos. 

“Hey Del,” he shouted as the door slammed behind him and he toed off his trainers, “Sorry I took longer than expected, mum called whilst I was down the biscuit aisle.” 

_Shit_ he thought. _I forgot the Hobnobs._

He entered the kitchen where he had left Dele 40 minutes before scrolling through Twitter and drinking a disgusting looking green smoothie and instead of finding Dele still scrolling through twitter with an empty glass of disgusting looking green smoothie he found a cat. 

The cat, long, black and sitting on the kitchen counter, was staring at Eric, it’s ears back flat against his head and it’s brown eyes wide. Eric waved his hand at the back door which sprung open, and then at the cat who flew through the air and landed gently outside. The door closed and the cat yowled. 

“Oi, Dele,” Eric shouted, “where did the cat come from?” There was no answer except for the cat who was still yowling outside the back door.

“Dele!” Eric shouted again, leaving the kitchen and peering up the stairs, “Del!” 

He jogged up the stairs two at a time and did a quick scan of the bedrooms, bathroom and what had originally been the spare room Dele slept in when he stayed over, but which was now what Dele called “The Dream Room.” It was where he’d rigged up his gaming equipment after Eric banned it from being in the front room. 

It was quickly apparent that Dele was not home. 

“For fuck’s sake,” Eric muttered, taking his phone from his back pocket and wandering back into the kitchen. The cat hadn’t moved, and was sitting on the back step facing into the kitchen, yowling non stop. 

Eric dialled Dele’s number and jumped as Dele’s phone vibrated on the counter. Where was Dele? 

The cat carried on yowling like it was in pain. Maybe it was in pain?

Eric went and tentatively opened the back door again. “Are you in pain?” he asked the cat, who answered by scowling at Eric and slinking back into the house past his ankles.

“No!” Eric said to the cat, who had hopped back onto the kitchen counter, “No! Get down.” The cat ignored Eric’s instruction and instead yawned, arching its back as it stretched its two front legs. 

Eric was about to magic the cat out of the house again when he noticed that his discarded shopping bag on the floor was sitting in a puddle of melted cornettos.

“For _fuck’s_ sake,” he muttered to himself, levitating the milk, pesto and bread out of the bag and away into fridge. The cat jumped down from the counter and started licking the melted cornettos. 

Eric stopped and stood still and took a couple of breaths. “Okay,” he said aloud, “okay.” He leant down to pick up the cat, who jumped at his touch and then threw up over Eric’s right foot. 

The cat looked at Eric’s foot covered in sick, looked up at Eric and exploded into a series of distressed and anguished mews. Eric magicked away the sick, magicked the cat into the air and with more force than was probably necessary landed the cat back in the garden and slammed the door shut. 

The cat glared and then turned to stalk off in a way that unnerved Eric. Eric turned back into the kitchen, magicked away the rest of the melted cornettos, and sat at the stool on the kitchen counter. Where _was_ Dele? 

~

Eric was slumped on the kitchen counter wondering idly how concerned he should be about Dele’s absence when an almighty clatter from the downstairs bathroom made him jump up. 

“WHAT IS HAPPENING,” Eric cried, as he ran to the bathroom to find the same black cat, who had evidently made an ill advised leap from the partially open window, hanging by its claws off the shower curtain screeching at the top of its little cat lungs. 

“Who are you? What do you want from me? Where the fucking fuck is Dele?” Eric cried in desperation as he tore the cat away from the curtains, shredding them in the process. The cat hissed and squirmed in Eric’s arms, wriggling free and jumping - with a certain lack of grace - onto the sink. 

“Okay,” Eric said, addressing the cat. The cat looked up at Eric expectantly. Eric frowned.

“Can you understand me?” he asked, and then immediately felt foolish. But the cat reached out a paw and gently bopped Eric’s arm. 

“You _can_ understand me?” Eric asked leaning down to peer into the cat’s face. The cat sighed.

“No, that’s stupid, you’re a cat of course you can’t understand me.” The cat started yowling again and with his claws extended aimed a swipe at Eric’s face. 

“Okay!” Eric said, straightening up, “I’m sorry! You can understand me, I mean fucking hell, why not.” The cat retracted its claws and looked up at Eric.

“Why are you here?” Eric asked. The cat opened its eyes wide. 

“Who are you?” The cat, if possible, opened its eyes wider and jumped off the sink and sauntered towards the door. On the threshold the cat looked back up at Eric, as if beckoning Eric to follow. 

Feeling like an idiot, Eric followed the cat up the stairs and into the large master bedroom. The bedsheets were still rumpled and Eric inwardly cursed Dele who had said he would make the bed. _For god’s sake_ , Eric thought. _Where is Dele._

The cat hopped onto the bedside table where there was a glass of stale water, an old paperback copy of The Alchemist in Porteguese and a framed photo of Dele and Eric taken the previous summer. The cat knocked the water and book off the table and crouched down next to the photo.

“What are you doing?” Eric asked, as the cat bopped its nose against the frame at Dele’s face. The cat looked up at Eric, in what Eric thought was an expectant way.

“What are you doing? What am _I_ doing?” Eric said feeling stupid and confused, and went to turn away, but the cat yelped before he could. 

With a sense of urgency the cat swiped its paw at Dele’s face with enough force to knock the photo to the ground too, where it sat in the puddle of water. The cat jumped down from the table and carried on bopping his nose at the photo. 

“Yes that’s Dele, that’s Dele, my Dele. What about him? Where is he? Why am I talking to a bloody cat?” The cat looked up, widened its eyes and pushed his paw flat onto Dele’s face. It mewed, long and pleading. 

“Oh my god,” Eric said, comprehension slowly dawning. “No, that’s impossible.” The cat mewed plaintively, and...nodded?

“Did you just nod?” Eric asked, and the cat nodded again. “It makes no sense. This is ridiculous.” Eric sat down on the bed, his head swimming.

The cat jumped smoothly up into Eric’s lap, and nudged his head into Eric’s hands which absently started to stroke him.

“Are you seriously telling me,” Eric started, looking down into the cat's eyes, “that _you_ are Dele?”

The cat mewed and purred.

“You, Dele, my idiot fucking boyfriend Dele, has somehow turned himself into a cat?” 

The cat, or Dele, hissed but with no real venom.

“Oh my god,” Eric said, and he laughed and laughed. 

~

“Look mate,” Danny said, his pixelated face barely hiding his amusement, “this isn’t really my area.” 

“I know,” Eric said, “but we’re really stuck.” Next to him Dele Cat yawned and started to wash his ears. 

“Yeah, Dele seems really worried,” Danny replied deadpan. Eric scowled at Dele Cat who tilted his head but didn’t look particularly contrite. 

“Well, I’m fucking worried. I don’t want a cat for a - for a - a friend.” Eric finished lamely. Through the screen Danny looked sympathetic and shrugged. 

“Okay, well I mean, my family deals more with earth magic - you know. Flowers for healing, the sun’s energy for nurturing, the rain -”

“Yeah I know,” Eric said, “my sister’s the same.”

“Why _haven’t_ you asked your family for help?” Danny asked, curious.

“God because it’s really embarrassing innit.” Eric replied. “And I’ve read through the books my Nan and sisters have given me but it says nothing about idiot footballers just randomly changing into really annoying animals.” 

“Okay, I’ll have a read through some stuff, talk to my aunt, see what I can find out. Ain’t making any promises though.”

“Thanks mate,” Eric said, relieved. “How’s it going up there anyway? We miss you here.” 

Dele Cat headbutted the screen as if in agreement.

Danny laughed. “Yeah it’s okay. Not found any others, of us, you know, yet. But I have my eye on Andy Carroll. No way his hair can be that perfect without magic intervention.”

Laughing, Eric thanked Danny again and ended the Zoom call. He looked down at Dele Cat. 

“Well, what are we gonna do with you now?” Dele Cat purred and jumped into Eric’s lap. 

~

They spent the rest of the weekend trying to find out what Dele Cat could and could not eat. 

It turned out that the only thing Dele Cat could eat without being sick was actual cat food, much to the horror of Eric. 

“This smells _so_ bad,” Eric said, emptying a packet of Whiskas into a bowl after an emergency drive to Pets At Home to pick up cat food, a cat bowl, a cat brush and, on a weird whim, a toy mouse on a stick. 

Dele Cat could hardly contain his excitement as Eric magicked the bowl of food down onto the ground, winding himself in between Eric’s legs and mewing loudly and appreciatively. 

“I cannot believe you’re eating that,” Eric said, his nose turned up. “It is so rank. What was wrong with the chicken I made you?” 

Dele Cat ignored him until he had finished every morsel of food in the bowl and then looked up at Eric expectantly.

“No more,” Eric said. “That's what the nice lady at Pets At Home said. Twice a day and maybe some biscuits if you’re good.” 

Dele Cat opened his mouth in indignation and outrage so reminiscent of human Dele that Eric laughed. “Oh, Del,” he said fondly.

Dele Cat swiped at Eric’s ankle, knocked over his empty bowl and stalked off out the kitchen leaving Eric chuckling in his wake. 

~ 

Danny didn’t call back until Sunday evening. Dele Cat was snoozing on the arm chair, shedding his black hair all over a woolen blanket Eric had dug out from the back of the airing cupboard. Eric muted Antiques Roadshow and answered his phone.

“‘Ello,” he said quietly, trying not to wake Dele Cat.

“Alright?” Danny asked, and then before waiting for Eric to reply continued, “So. I didn't find much with a quick scan of my books or a quick search online.”

Eric frowned. Why had _he_ not thought to look online?

“But,” Danny continued, “My cousin overheard me talking to my aunt and thought of something. But it seems so unlikely Eric, I really don’t know.” 

“What is it?” Eric asked. 

“I dunno,” Danny breathed. “So she said, well she said she’d read about this once before. It's some ancient magic. Apparently some village witch set this curse after his or her fiance broke their engagement. And no one knows how to lift it. But it's so rare that I guess people just don’t bother passing down a warning about it anymore. Literally the dumbest kind of curse. Also, it seems pretty fucking stupid to get in a situation where it could activate.”

“What are you talking about?” Eric asked, confused. 

“Okay, hang on, my cousin wrote it out for me. Listen to this.” Danny cleared his throat.

_“On the day before sabbath thriced in one lunar cycle  
During an earth’s even journey around the sun  
If you consume that of the family lamiaceae grown by your true love  
As the hand strikes 12 sitting in a pool of light  
Your daemon self shall reveal forever more.”_

“What the fuck does that mean Danny?” 

“Well, basically if on the third Saturday of a month, in a year ending in an even number, you eat mint that your true love has grown whilst sitting in sunlight at midday then you turn into your animal form.” 

“That is fucking insane.” Eric said.

“Yeah, told you it was stupid. But honestly Eric, I’m not sure what else Dele could’ve done.”

“But that can’t be what happened,” Eric said, feeling slightly panicked.

“You sure?” Danny asked. “ I mean, if you think about it, yesterday was the third Saturday of the month and the year does end in an even number.”

“No it doesn’t,” Eric replied.

“Mate it ends in a zero.” 

“Yeah right. Okay, but…” Eric faltered. “It’s so impossible.”

“Yeah, innit.” 

“Wait. Okay. Let's go through this. So it has to be a third Saturday of a month, in a year ending in an even number. At midday, sitting in the sun, and eating mint?” 

“Yeah, but mint grown by your true love.” 

“I left Dele at 11.30am yesterday to go to the shops. And it was a sunny day, he always sits on the stool that catches the morning sun.”

“Right, and what was he eating?” Danny asked.

“He wasn’t eating anything. He was drinking a smoothie. Some disgusting green - oh my fucking god.” 

Eric dropped the phone as realisation crashed through him. 

Dele had been drinking a smoothie that he’d made which he’d added mint to. Mint from the garden. Mint from Eric’s garden, mint Eric had grown. 

Mint Dele’s _true love_ had grown. 

“Mate you there?” Eric heard Danny’s voice sounding tinny and far away. He picked up his phone again.

“Yeah, yeah I’m here.” 

“You alright?” Danny asked. 

“Yeah, look so. Tell me the curse again.” 

Danny repeated it for Eric. 

“ _Your daemon self shall reveal forever more_ ,” Eric repeated, his breath shaking. “What does that mean? Forever more? Dele is going to be a cat forever?” 

“Nah mate,” Danny said. “Most curses end like that for dramatic effect. It normally just means until the next full moon.” 

“Right, right, okay,” Eric said, his breathing steadying. “Okay. Fuck, can you believe it?”

“So you think this is what happened? Dele did all those things? Sat in sunlight and consumed mint grown by, well,” Danny asked, carefully. 

“Um. Yeah, I guess so,” Eric replied, trying not to think about the implications of what he was telling Danny.

Danny chuckled warmly. “What are the fucking chances, eh. Well look, I need to go. Glad I could be of help. Let me know how it turns out.”

“Yeah, yeah I will,” Eric said faintly, “Thanks mate.” 

He put the phone down and looked over at Dele Cat who was sitting upright, staring at Eric with unblinking eyes.

“Fuck,” Eric breathed out. 

~

Eric slept badly that night. He’d told Dele Cat almost everything Danny had said; apologising profusely for being the one who suggested Dele used mint from his garden for his smoothies, marvelling at the chances of everything aligning so the curse kicked in, goggling at the sheer stupidity of the curse existing in the first place. 

Dele Cat had listened attentively, nudging Eric’s hands every time he stopped stroking Dele Cat’s head. When Eric apologised for the mint Dele Cat had licked his hand affectionately. 

“Yeah but -” Eric had started. “It’s not just any mint. It’s -” 

Dele Cat had looked up expectantly. “It’s just,” Eric had shaken his head, closed his eyes, panicked. “It’s just, weird innit.” He’d trailed off lamely. 

_True love._ He didn’t know if he was ready to understand what that meant. 

~

The next morning Dele Cat woke Eric up at 5.30am by mewing in Eric’s ear and licking his nose. Eric cracked open an eye which he promptly closed. 

“Fuck off,” he moaned, pulling his duvet over his head, ignoring Dele Cat. Dele Cat jumped off the bed, and began scratching frantically at the closed bedroom door.

“I hate you,” Eric said, his voice muffled under the duvet. “I hate you and you’re paying for a new paint job.” 

Dele Cat let out a blood curdling cry and jumped back onto the bed, mewing loudly, pawing at Eric’s head. 

“Fuck off or I’m turning you into a toad, you devil cat Del,” Eric moaned. Dele Cat nuzzled under the duvet, persistently nudging Eric’s face with his damp nose. 

“Fine, _fine,_ ” Eric conceded as he dragged himself out of the warmth of his bed and stormed downstairs, Dele Cat racing ahead, mindless with excitement. 

“Here is your shitty breakfast,” Eric said, magicking a packet of Whiskas into Dele Cat’s bowl. “I’m going back to bed and you’re not invited.”

Ten minutes later, Eric waved a hand in the direction of his bedroom door to let Dele Cat back in. Dele Cat jumped onto Eric’s bed and settled on his chest, yawning widely in Eric’s face.

“You stink,” Eric said sleepily, scritching him under his chin. Dele Cat sniffed pompously but settled down, and they dozed until dawn. 

~

The next full moon wasn’t until the weekend, and Eric still wasn’t really sure that it was enough to lift the curse. A follow up text to Danny didn’t help reassure him.

_Dunno!!!! Guess we just have 2 see. Give Dele a tickle for me lol x_

Dele Cat, who was dozing on Eric’s outstretched legs on the sofa, jumped at the vibration of the text message, lost his balance and fell off Eric’s leg getting stuck between Eric and the back cushion. He woke with a start and stared mutinously at Eric as if somehow it was Eric’s fault he was in such an undignified position. 

Eric laughed as Dele Cat hissed, scrambled to free himself and stalked out the lounge with as much dignity he could manage. 

_Lol maybe later xx_

~

Eric explained Dele’s lack of communication to the team WhatsApp group and to their families by saying Dele had a cold, which everyone accepted. He felt a bit guilty when his mum sent over a flask of chicken noodle soup for Dele, but not enough so as to not heat it up that evening with a beer, as Dele Cat had his evening biscuits. 

“What would happen if you drank beer?” Eric asked Dele Cat shaking the half empty bottle at him. Dele Cat looked distinctly unimpressed and turned his nose up.

“Bro you’re weird as a cat,” Eric chuckled, and spent the rest of the evening amusing himself by magicking Dele Cat’s coat different colours. 

~ 

True love. _True love._ True love had connotations. True love meant forever. True love meant he was really in it. True love meant no turning back. True love, _true_ love. True love meant magic. Magic always worried Eric. 

~ 

“So what’s happened to Dele?” Steffi asked with no preamble as soon as Eric answered his phone.

“He’s sick,” Eric replied, waving his hand at the toy mouse that Dele was chasing around the room.

“That’s bullshit,” Steffi said.

“Hey!” Eric retorted, “Why can’t Del be sick?”

“Because last time Dele was sick literally no one heard the end of it. He sent daily messages to our WhatsApp group moaning about how you weren’t looking after him well enough, how terrible he felt, how he might die.”

Eric snorted fondly at the memory, “Yeah.” He levitated the mouse down to Dele Cat’s reach, then flicked it away just as Dele Cat pawed it. Dele Cat jumped mindlessly after it, completely engrossed. 

“So he’s obviously not sick, so what happened,” Steffi asked.

“Ah - well,” Eric said, “why does something need to have happened?”

“Has he broken up with you?” 

“What?” Eric said, letting the mouse drop in his shock. Dele Cat pounced on it with victorious glee. “Of course not.”

“Okay, well. I just wanted to check. We’re all here for you.”

“Why would you assume he’s broken up with me?” Eric asked indignantly. “Maybe I’ve broken up with him.”

“Have you?” Steffi asked gently. 

The very idea made Eric’s chest constrict uncomfortably. He looked over at Dele Cat who was chewing the mouse’s ear paying no attention to Eric.

“No Steffi, I love him,” Eric said quietly. 

He heard the smile in his sister’s reply. “I know. So, what’s happened.” 

“Okay, promise you won’t laugh?” Eric asked, and then on Steffi’s assurance he checked to see if Dele Cat was listening. Dele Cat was using his front paws trying to retrieve something from under the sofa, lost in a little cat world of his own. Satisfied, Eric recounted the ridiculous turn of events that led to him sitting here on a Tuesday afternoon with a cat for a boyfriend. 

“Oh Eric,” Steffi said fondly, “That’s. I don’t know. That’s pretty fucking hilarious.”

“Yeah yeah. So anyway, Danny reckons the curse will lift on the next full moon which is Saturday.”

“Yeah that makes sense,” Steffi said knowledgeably, “Unless the witch who set it was really powerful and overrode the full moon caveat. But I expect that’s unlikely.”

“Unlikely isn’t really reassuring,” Eric said.

“I guess we’ll see on Saturday, won’t we.”

“I guess.”

“Don’t worry Eric. It is incredibly unlikely the witch was that powerful - even I couldn’t set a curse like that, and as we all know I’m the cleverest witch of my age.

“Fuck off Hermione,” Eric said laughing, fondly.

“Look Eric. It’s going to be okay. Dele won’t freak about the true love thing.”

“I -” Eric faltered. “I didn’t say I thought he would.” He looked over to Dele Cat who was sitting facing the wall. He was so stupid, Eric loved him so much, even as a cat.

“Yes but I know how curses work. And I know you. Look, just listen to me and don’t freak out. It doesn’t mean it’s like, unbreakable. Or that you’ve put a spell on Dele. It’s, it just - it’s love at its most real. It’s real Eric, that’s all it means.”

“But, I’m a witch. That means magic is involved.”

“Who says magic isn’t real?” 

~

True love. Eric didn’t know why this unsettled him so much. The thing was, he did love Dele and he told him every morning; pressing the promise into the back of Dele’s neck as he wrapped his arms around Dele’s bare torso to steal the mug of tea he had brewed, soft and sleepy in the quiet kitchen.

And he knew Dele loved him, by the way the corners of Dele’s eyes crinkled when he caught Eric’s gaze from across the gym, by the way Dele pulled Eric’s magic from the palm of his hands just to make sure Eric didn’t leave the house without his scarf magicked tightly around his neck when it was cold and frosty outside, by the way he whispered it against Eric’s mouth hot and urgent in the lost hours of the night. 

They loved each other. But true love, _true love._

~

Their days fell into a gentle routine. Eric became accustomed to waking with the soft, animal heat of Dele Cat curled into his side as the sun filtered in through the haphazardly closed curtains, listening to the hazy, snuffly noises Dele Cat made as he slowly woke up. 

Dele Cat quickly adjusted his eating schedule to match Eric’s, and would chomp happily away on his foul smelling Whiskas as Eric had honey toast for breakfast; he’d cry for his evening biscuits just as Eric was peeling the cellophane off his microwave dinner for one, the hot steam burning his finger tips. When his bowl was empty, Dele Cat would hop onto the kitchen counter, licking tenderly at the reddened skin. It didn’t really help, Dele Cat’s scratchy tongue offering no respite to the dull stinging, but Eric didn’t complain.

“You’re a soft heart, aren’t you,” he’d say, scritching Dele Cat between the ears as he carried him into the lounge, Dele Cat managing to both preen and scorn with the turn of his head and the glare he’d give Eric. 

~ 

But the novelty began to wear off, and Eric missed Dele. Dele didn’t trip him up on his way to the bathroom by coiling between his ankles like Dele Cat did; Dele wasn’t sick at 3.30am on his bedroom floor after eating the lemon thyme from Eric’s herb garden like Dele Cat was; Dele would kiss him, long and steady, as the days dragged on slow and repetitive. Dele Cat’s damp nose boops were soft and charming, but not quite the same 

Most importantly, Dele didn’t get into fights with the cat who lived two doors down, like Dele Cat did on Friday afternoon. Eric had been debating whether he could get away with it being a two choc ice day when he heard a horrible screech from the garden, and Dele Cat came sprinting in through the open door. A ginormous tabby cat sat at the bottom of the steps, glaring menacingly. Eric flicked his fingers at him, sending him away, and turned his attention to Dele who was mewing piteously, trying to clean a small gash on his left ear.

“Oh, Del,” Eric said, kneeling down, “What did he do?” 

Dele Cat looked into Eric’s eyes, mewing softly. Eric looked at his ear, the cut was small but it looked sore. “It’s okay, I’ll look after you,” he said, bundling Dele Cat into his arms and carrying him into the front room. 

He got Steffi on FaceTime, who talked him through a simple healing spell. 

“It won’t scar?” Eric asked, stroking Dele Cat gently, who was lying on the settee, soft and compliant.

“Not if you followed the spell properly,” Steffi said. “But it could probably do with some yarrow balm. I can try and make you some up.”

“No, it’s okay,” Eric said, knowing how busy Steffi was with her job and children. “I’ll ask Danny. Thanks though.”

“No worries. Look, I’ll check in again in a few days time. Love you both.” 

Steffi signed off and Eric pocketed his phone. He looked down at Dele Cat who stared up at him, his face a picture of sadness and self pity.

“Del,” Eric said, “you’ve hurt yourself so much worse than this playing football.” 

Dele Cat leaned his head on his front paws, his ears drooping. 

“I’ll get the yarrow balm from Danny, don’t worry. You’ll still be perfect when this is over.” Eric said, tenderly stroking Dele Cat’s injured ear.

~ 

“Look, I’m not being funny,” Eric said on Saturday afternoon. Danny had sent the yarrow balm and Eric had just finished rubbing it onto Dele Cat’s ear. It smelled bad and Dele Cat squirmed the whole time. “But you’re not sharing the bed with me tonight.”

Dele Cat looked up Eric, his ear twitching. 

“Don’t frown at me,” Eric said, magicking a few Dreamies down onto the floor in front of Dele Cat as a post-balm reward. “It’s not because you smell funny. But we don’t know what’s going to happen tonight. How it’s going to work. _If_ it’s going to work. And I really don’t want to witness you changing back into a human.”

Dele Cat meowed.

“I mean, that sounds fucking horrifying. What if it’s like that Harry Potter film, when he turns into a werewolf? You’re on your own there mate. You can sleep in the spare room.” 

Dele Cat shrugged, and ate the Dreamies. 

~

They spent the evening lying on the sofa with Dele curled up on Eric’s tummy watching The Vicar of Dibley, which Dele would never tolerate in his human form. 

“That Richard Armitage is well fit,” Eric said idly, “And I know you think so too. You watched The Hobbit three times and that film is so shit.” 

Dele Cat yawned, and head butted Eric’s hand who automatically carried on stroking him. 

“I hope it works,” Eric said as the end credits played. He waved a hand, turning the telly off and lowering the lights in one movement. “Tonight I mean. I hope the curse lifts.” Dele Cat yawned again and nuzzled his face into the crook of Eric’s elbow. 

“I mean, not that this isn’t nice. But I miss not being covered in your hair all the time. And I miss the house not always having a faint smell of fish. And I miss you.”

Dele Cat shifted along Eric’s body and licked his face affectionately. 

“Yeah, yeah. I know. Me too,” Eric said, scritching Dele Cat under the chin and pressing his lips to his head. Dele Cat purred, and curled up in a ball, right over Eric’s heart. 

~ 

Eric woke the morning after the full moon to an empty bed and the smell of toast drifting up from the kitchen. A coil of nervous anticipation unfurled in his belly as he padded his way downstairs and through the house stopping at the threshold of the kitchen.

And Dele was there. Human Dele - all of him - his long, lithe limbs, the solid, steadying arch of his shoulders, the curve of his thighs, the glint of his earring. All human, all boy, all Dele. 

He had his back to Eric and was tapping his feet absently along to a 90s pop song playing on the radio. He had no top on, his grey jogging bottoms slung low on his hips - he’d opened the backdoor and the sounds of birds chattering and a warm morning breeze swept in. 

It was nothing special, really. It was everything.

“Del,” Eric said softly, just as the toaster popped and they both jumped, Dele turning round to stare at Eric, startled.

“Fuck!” he said, holding his chest. “You gave me a heart attack.” 

“It worked,” Eric said, a bright smile blooming across his face, “you’re back.”

“Good as new,” Dele said, splaying his arms wide. Eric took in the view hungrily. 

“Well, don’t I get a kiss?” Dele asked, sticking out his bottom lip, “hurry up now.” 

“Yes,” Eric said, starting towards Dele, “Yes. No, I mean wait.”

Dele scowled. 

“Have you cleaned your teeth?”

“Fuck off Dier,” Dele said with indignation, but he smiled into the kiss and it was warm and soft and full of love. 

“God I missed you,” Eric said as they broke apart. His hands circled Dele’s wrists, and they stayed standing close, chest against chest. 

“Rude,” Dele said, knocking his forehead gently against Eric’s. “I was right here, and I was an excellent cat.”

“You ate a spider and threw up over the patio. Twice.” 

Dele scrunched his nose, “God, let's never talk about this again. To anyone.” 

“How is your ear?” Eric asked, reaching his hand up to tenderly stoke Dele’s left ear, a tiny red scar barely visible under his touch.

Dele squirmed his head away. “It tickles.” 

Eric leaned up and kissed the ear, kissed Dele’s cheek, kissed Dele’s mouth. And Dele kissed him back, long and slow and with all the time in the world. 

~

Later they sat on the top step of the back door eating the toast Eric had reheated with mugs of tea and a bowl of raspberries. Dele had taken some of Eric’s magic and was making the pebbles on the step in front of them levitate, occasionally letting them drop onto Eric’s head. It was an unseasonably warm April morning, and Eric was feeling so happy.

“I feel so happy,” he told Dele, knocking his shoulder into him. Dele looked over and smirked fondly.

“I know,” he replied. “Me too.” 

Dele put down his mug and took a deep breath in. Eric looked over expectantly.

“Look, Eric,” he said. He turned to look at Eric and placed a gentle hand on his wrist. 

“What,” Eric said, smiling fondly.

“I heard it. When you were talking to Steffi I mean,” Dele said, looking at Eric. “I heard what you said to her. The whole of the curse.” 

Eric froze and said nothing. 

“I know why the curse activated. What me putting that mint that you grew in my smoothie meant.” 

Eric dropped his gaze.

“Look Eric,” Dele said, gently rubbing his thumb over the inside of Eric’s wrist. “I don’t really get it. Why you’re so worried.”

Eric shrugged.

Dele sighed. “I’m here, aren’t I. I love you. I mean, god knows why,” he teased, nudging his knee against Eric’s.

“And,” he continued, “I loved you before I knew you could levitate me a packet of Quavers from my kit bag when I’m too tired to move.” He stopped, took in another breath and carried on. 

“And I’d still love you if you decide to do what your mum does, and pretend you haven’t got magic. I don’t care, I just love you.”

Dele’s tender and surprising intuition took Eric’s breath away. He looked up at Dele.

“I’m sorry,” he said. 

Dele shrugged. “It’s fine, innit,” he said, “I just don’t get why you think this isn’t real.” 

Eric grabbed Dele’s hand and kissed his fingers. 

“I’m an idiot.”

“Yeah, well, I could’ve told you that one for free. It didn't need for me to be a cat or you to have an emotional crisis to figure it out. You always look so squinty and pained when you’re having an emotional crisis. It’s not fit.” 

Eric laughed, and Dele did too. He loved him so much.

“Anyway,” Dele said standing up, brushing toast crumbs off his knees. “Enough of this true love bollocks. There’s a cat two doors down that needs a good seeing to.”

Eric laughed and laughed. He loved him _so_ much.

**Author's Note:**

> A million thank yous to Camden for being the most perfect beta, as always. Thank you for making me deal with Eric's feelings and for laughing at the dumb jokes.
> 
> The title is from _Olivia_ by One Direction. 
> 
> Shout out to my cat Oscar who inspired every idiotic thing Dele Cat did in this fic.


End file.
